Hail pummels fledgling cotton crops
Many South Plains farmers are assessing damages and weighing options following a Wednesday night storm that destroyed several thousand acres of cotton, mostly west and south of Lubbock.
Factoring in too-wet-to-plow fields and a seven-day period before crop adjusters can make their assessments, it may be too late for growers in the immediate area to come back with cotton under the Tuesday insurance deadline. For farmers to the south, the insurance cut-off date is June 10 or so, giving them a little extra time to make a replant decision.

Panhandle hail storms hit crops
Agriculture officials surveyed damaged cotton and wheat fields in Texas on Wednesday after high winds and heavy rain pelted some crops with up to grapefruit-sized hail a day earlier.

Agriculture department outlines boll weevil proposals at meeting
Proposed rules governing the movement of cotton harvesting/hauling equipment into eradicated boll weevil zones were described Wednesday as designed to protect the investment of growers on the South Plains and across the state who have launched an all-out attack on the pest.
The Texas Department of Agriculture quarantine proposals were given an airing during a public hearing.

Bridal courtesy
SAMANTHA WERTMAN & RICKEY FULCHER
Samantha Wertman and Rickey Fulcher were honored with a wedding shower from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday in the home of Peggy Coffman.

Engagements - June 1, 2001
BARKERHAWKINS
Mr. and Mrs. Terry Barker of Silverton and Mr. and Mrs. James Moore of Lorenzo announce the engagement of their daughter, Jetta Barker, to Sam Hawkins, son of Mr. and Mrs. Sheldon Hawkins of Garland.

William Kerns' Movie Reviews
The Animal
(?)
Rob Schneider wrote and stars in this comedy as a wimp who always wanted to
be a police officer. When he is immobilized in a car accident, a mad scientist
secretly replaces his damaged organs with animal parts. Newly discovered animal
instincts initially turn him into a super cop, but they gradually surface at
inopportune times and render his budding romantic relationship hopeless. Playing
his love interest is Colleen Haskell, whose claim to prior fame was being a
player on the first "Survivor" series. Making his directorial debut is Luke
Greenfield.

Jim Caviezel's eyes got him 'Angel Eyes' role
It was James Caviezel's breakout role in Terence Malick's "The Thin Red Line" that caught Jennifer Lopez's eye to cast him as the mysterious Catch Lambert in her movie "Angel Eyes."

Jim Caviezel's eyes got him 'Angel Eyes' role
It was James Caviezel's breakout role in Terence Malick's "The Thin Red Line" that caught Jennifer Lopez's eye to cast him as the mysterious Catch Lambert in her movie "Angel Eyes."

Jousting with destiny: reluctant actor's tale
HOLLYWOOD  Paul Bettany gives a cheeky performance as England's great writer and poet Geoffrey Chaucer in the action-adventure "A Knight's Tale." Better make that a "revealing" performance, since Bettany is buck naked for his rather lengthy introductory scene.

Movies briefly
Kasdan to direct King's 'Dreamcatcher'
HOLLYWOOD  Director Lawrence Kasdan has signed on to helm and produce the screen adaptation of "Dreamcatcher," the latest best-selling novel from Stephen King.

Entertainment briefly
Gallery features Mahon, McDonald
Two Lubbock natives, painter Mike Mahon and photographer Ann McDonald, are exhibiting works through June 30 at the Alliance Gallery at the Lubbock Arts Alliance, 2109 Broadway.

Releases
This is a partial schedule of upcoming movies on video and/or DVD:

Movies briefly
Kasdan to direct King's 'Dreamcatcher'
HOLLYWOOD  Director Lawrence Kasdan has signed on to helm and produce the screen adaptation of "Dreamcatcher," the latest best-selling novel from Stephen King.

Jousting with destiny: reluctant actor's tale
HOLLYWOOD  Paul Bettany gives a cheeky performance as England's great writer and poet Geoffrey Chaucer in the action-adventure "A Knight's Tale." Better make that a "revealing" performance, since Bettany is buck naked for his rather lengthy introductory scene.

'Traffic' released on DVD
If "The Ten Command-ments" is the epic Biblical movie and "The Longest Day" is the epic war movie, then "Traffic" is the epic of all drug movies.

A Day of infamy
What is most offensive about "Pearl Harbor" is not that the film uses history as a means to propel its love story, but rather that producer Jerry Bruck-heimer and especially director Michael Bay make no effort to approach the heart.

Entertainment briefly
Gallery features Mahon, McDonald
Two Lubbock natives, painter Mike Mahon and photographer Ann McDonald, are exhibiting works through June 30 at the Alliance Gallery at the Lubbock Arts Alliance, 2109 Broadway.

Deadlines
The deadline for listings in Around Town is noon on the Friday prior to publication. Submit listings to William Kerns:

William Kerns' Movie Reviews
OPENING FRIDAY
The Animal
(?)
Rob Schneider wrote and stars in this comedy as a wimp who always wanted to
be a police officer. When he is immobilized in a car accident, a mad scientist
secretly replaces his damaged organs with animal parts. Newly discovered animal
instincts initially turn him into a super cop, but they gradually surface at
inopportune times and render his budding romantic relationship hopeless. Playing
his love interest is Colleen Haskell, whose claim to prior fame was being a
player on the first "Survivor" series. Making his directorial debut is Luke
Greenfield.
Rated PG-13  Tinseltown USA 17 and Cinemark's Movies 16.

A Day of infamy
What is most offensive about "Pearl Harbor" is not that the film uses history as a means to propel its love story, but rather that producer Jerry Bruck-heimer and especially director Michael Bay make no effort to approach the heart.

Deadlines
The deadline for listings in Around Town is noon on the Friday prior to publication. Submit listings to William Kerns:

Releases
This is a partial schedule of upcoming movies on video and/or DVD:

Dallas Fed chief doesn't see recession
DALLAS {AP} Robert McTeer, president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, said Thursday that the unemployment rate is bound to rise but that the nation will dodge a recession.

Dress for Success group to receive suit settlement
HOUSTON {AP} A nonprofit group that provides free business suits to low-income women for job interviews, will receive most of the state's settlement of a price-fixing lawsuit against a shoe retailer.

Exxon Mobil shareholders back firm on environmental, gay issues
DALLAS {AP} During a meeting marked by protests inside and outside the hall Wednesday, Exxon Mobil Corp. shareholders sided overwhelmingly with management in rejecting proposals on the environment and gay rights.
Dissidents went home badly defeated, but not until they raised the threat of a U.S. boycott against the world's largest publicly owned oil company.

Chip industry slowdown prompts X-Fab Texas to make adjustments
X-Fab Texas plans to close its Lubbock operation for one week in July as well as make other business adjustments in response to an industry-wide slowdown.
Plant manager Don Meinkoth said X-Fab will be taking "extraordinary measures" to preserve the jobs of its 330 workers, many of whom are engaged in the production of memory chips that serve as components in products produced by the automotive and telecommunications industries.

Business Today - June 1, 2001
The Lubbock Hispanic Chamber of Commerce will host a quarterly meeting of the Texas Association of Mexican-American Chambers of Commerce and its 35-member cities.

Favorites stumble; Tech 400 relay 12th
EUGENE, Ore. {AP} The chances of NCAA indoor track and field champion LSU completing a sweep with the outdoor title received a jolt Wednesday when star decathlete Claston Bernard was disqualified after one event.
The problems for the junior from Jamaica began when he injured his left hamstring in the opening 100-meter dash. Bernard finished the race, hobbling across the finish line, then collapsed.

Georgia's Haklits wins second hammer title
EUGENE, Ore, {AP} Andras Haklits accomplished a rare feat at the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships on Thursday  he won his second hammer throw title for a second school.

Red Raider baseball shows promise for 2002 season
When the Texas Tech baseball team opened the season playing barely above the .500 mark and losing its first four Big 12 Conference games, it would have been easy to write off the 2001 campaign right there.

Tech-UTEP game to likely change for TV
The Texas Tech and Texas-El Paso football teams have all but formally agreed to change the date of their game this season from Saturday, Sept. 15, to Thursday, Sept. 13, for national television broadcast purposes, sources close to the situation said.

Tech's Baseball Season
THE TEXAS TECH BASEBALL team fell short in its effort to win its NCAA regional tournament last weekend, but the Red Raiders mounted a great attempt to win.

Tornado Time Is Here
IT WAS MORE THAN a little disconcerting to see the map by the National Severe Storms Laboratory that placed Lubbock smack dab in the middle of Tornado Alley.
Lubbock Emergency Management Coordinator Ken Olson said it made Lubbock look like a fried egg. It was an apt comparison, with Lubbock being in a red spot  representing the greatest likelihood for tornadoes  surrounded by a yellow area that represented a slightly lesser likelihood.

It Is A Daunting Task
THE NEWS FROM THE census that Lubbock County has one of the lowest rates in the state of families that are headed by married parents may have come as a surprise for many people in the Hub City.
Lubbock, with its huge number of churches, seems like it would be somewhat immune to the deterioration of nuclear families that has rocked the nation.

Tech's Baseball Season
THE TEXAS TECH BASEBALL team fell short in its effort to win its NCAA regional tournament last weekend, but the Red Raiders mounted a great attempt to win.

Service Of Great Value
LOSING A LOVED ONE can be a traumatic experience, and some people end up suffering even further trauma because of gruesome circumstances of the loved one's death.

Tornado Time Is Here
IT WAS MORE THAN a little disconcerting to see the map by the National Severe Storms Laboratory that placed Lubbock smack dab in the middle of Tornado Alley.

More Legislative Time?
CONSIDERING THE DOMINANT issue of redistricting that faced the 77th Legislature of Texas, it is an impressive feat that state lawmakers were able to get as much done in the past five months as they accomplished.

Sweazy officially takes over vice president position vacated by Schmidly
Robert Sweazy has taken over the position left vacantwhen David Schmidly took the job as Texas Tech University President.
Sweazy has been serving as vice president of research, graduate studies, technology transfer and economic development on an interim basis since August, but now has the job on a permanent basis, according to Cindy Rugeley, associate vice chancellor for news and information.

Anderson settles sex tape lawsuit
LOS ANGELES {AP} Pamela Anderson has settled a lawsuit over another sex tape she made with an '80s rocker, her lawyer said Wednesday.

Movie departures
According to booking announcements made by Lubbock movie theater officials this week, the following films are expected to depart Friday:

Pearl Harbor survivors see flaws in movie
Once he was told that stars Ben Affleck, John Hartnett and Kate Beckinsale were portraying fictional characters, Pearl Harbor veteran Wiley H. Rogers, one of a surprising two dozen now calling West Texas home, said, "Then I guess one of the things I question most is whether this movie should have been called 'Pearl Harbor' at all.
"It seems like the people who made the movie just wanted to make a love story and sort of capitalized on 'Peal Harbor' for that one scene."

Tube talk
Today
"Marilyn Monroe: The Final Days"  7 p.m. On what would have been Monroe's 75th birthday, this documentary looks at her troubled last months and includes a 37-minute reconstruction of her never-completed last film. (AMC)

Area fishing report
PALO DURO: Water clear; 70 degrees; black bass to 5 pounds are fair on white spinnerbaits and jigs. Crappie over 2 pounds are good on minnows, jigs and worms in 8-10 feet near the bridge. White bass are slow. Walleye are slow. Catfish to 15 pounds are good on shad, minnows and perch in channels.
ALAN HENRY: Water clear; 76 degrees; black bass are slow due to recreation traffic a few caught on topwaters, soft jerk baits and motor oil plastic worms. Crappie are fair on minnows near the dock.BRADY: Water lightly stained; 74 degrees; black bass are slow on topwaters and white spinnerbaits. Catfish are fair.

Limon top choice for Estacado post
Hector Limon is one step away from returning home.
The Avalanche-Journal has learned that Limon, a former all-state baseball and football star for Estacado, will be recommended to the Lubbock Independent School District to fill the head baseball coaching position at his former high school.

Music In Stores
Many of Lubbock's business establishments should be required, or at least have the courtesy and consideration, to post the following notice: "Warning! Adolescents in charge. Music levels approach the threshold of pain. Be prepared to endure this miserable and infantile oppression or shop elsewhere."

Sex And Abstinence
Now we are going to shock our teens into abstinence. If you hadn't noticed, sex is very popular these days. Most of the early evening TV programs seem to be directed to arouse sexual feelings and promote sex.

Tejano Awards Trip
We would like to thank Mr. Barton, a friend and local owner of a radio station of Lubbock, for another great trip to San Antonio for the Tejano Awards.

Let Public Decide
Re: "Freeway Has Name" (A-J, 5-8). Yes, the freeway has been named already, but who was it that decided this name? Why weren't other names considered? And why wasn't the public allowed to give input?

Keep Streets Clean
Bobby Knight recently said in a press conference that one thing he liked about Lubbock was the wide, clean western streets. That may be true about some parts of our city, but not in Rush where we live.

Who Will Guard Facility?
So you thought smoking was bad? They are building a Level 4 biological hazard containment facility in our back yard. To gain public sentiment they are playing with the name, "BioSafety or Bioterrorism Lab."

Firefighter's Reply
Re: "Job Differences" (A-J, 5-15). As a firefighter, I am thankful for my job and being able to serve and protect the citizens of Lubbock. Although the letter writer may think that all we do is sit around and watch television, play pool, eat and sleep at the fire station, I would like to inform him about our other duties we perform while on DUTY for 24 hours.

Sex And Abstinence
Now we are going to shock our teens into abstinence. If you hadn't noticed, sex is very popular these days. Most of the early evening TV programs seem to be directed to arouse sexual feelings and promote sex.

Music In Stores
Many of Lubbock's business establishments should be required, or at least have the courtesy and consideration, to post the following notice: "Warning! Adolescents in charge. Music levels approach the threshold of pain. Be prepared to endure this miserable and infantile oppression or shop elsewhere."

McVeigh's Opinion
Since when do convicted murderers have a say in whether they are executed? Why does Timothy McVeigh's opinion matter to anyone? He has proved that he has no regard for human

McVeigh's Opinion
Since when do convicted murderers have a say in whether they are executed? Why does Timothy McVeigh's opinion matter to anyone? He has proved that he has no regard for human

Variations Of Control
People who object to unruly children in restaurants have a public health issue. For most it would be a mental health issue, as unsupervised children tend to drive folks crazy. How can we determine which parents can control their children?

Variations Of Control
People who object to unruly children in restaurants have a public health issue. For most it would be a mental health issue, as unsupervised children tend to drive folks crazy. How can we determine which parents can control their children?
I propose using today's accepted method. Parents with children under the age of 13 wanting to eat out should serve a five-day waiting period. They would undergo a thorough background check to determine whether they can control their children in public.

Freeway Completion
I read the letter "Loop Renovation" (A-J, 5-15), with interest. We encourage the editorial staff to review the letter writer's opinions on the East-West Freeway.

Dioxin In Diet
According to a draft report just published on EPA's Web site, the risk of cancer from exposure to dioxin among individuals who consume large amounts of meat and dairy products may be 100 times higher than previously suspected. More than 36,000 cancer deaths per year, as well as developmental defects in children and altered hormone levels, are attributed to such exposure.

Wholesale Vs. Retail
Price-gouging at the pumps?
For the last several years I have been watching the wholesale price of gasoline in the daily Avalanche-Journal.

Keep Streets Clean
Bobby Knight recently said in a press conference that one thing he liked about Lubbock was the wide, clean western streets. That may be true about some parts of our city, but not in Rush where we live.

'Boot' Proposal
So the city of Lubbock wants to put "boots" on our cars to make sure we pay our parking tickets?

Intent Of Venue Election
Although a moot subject at the moment, I had a problem deciphering the intent of the past so-called "venue tax" election, which appeared to be very ambiguous. All three propositions

Nature's Health Benefits
I heartily concur with Carol Mitchell's suggestion that enjoying nature may have health benefits (A-J, 5-13). For many years I visited the environs she described in Garza County. As a hunter, my motives were more sanguine than bird and flower watching, but the benefits were there.
Stepping into a small hollow and awakening a sleeping bobcat in his den once raised my respirations and pulse to aerobic levels. Sitting on a hillside as the sun slipped down the flame red sky and hearing evening vespers sung by a choir of coyotes was balm to a troubled soul.

Objectionable Article
Re: The article "GOP tax-cut victory blocks potential Democrat spending spree" (A-J, 5-21). Has The A-J given up even the pretense of objectivity? Your story reads as if it is a given that all Democrats are evil spendthrifts and all Republicans are the sainted protectors of the public's wealth.

Alcohol industry's campaign seeks to curb youth-drinking
DALLAS {AP} A group of alcohol distillers, distributors and vendors kicked off a statewide campaign Wednesday aimed at curbing the sale of alcohol to minors.
About 3,000 Texas retailers are expected to participate in the so-called "Pop Culture" campaign, which features 80s-themed slogans like "If you never wished your name was Rio, prepare to be carded"  a reference to a popular Duran Duran song.

Ticket to Ride
Increases in the cost of gasoline at the pump will have an impact on popular vacation destinations in Texas. But that's not necessarily bad news during the busy summer season, particularly at top family destinations.
The cost of filling the gas tank of the family van or sports utility vehicle several times for a cross-country trip may keep more Texas vacationers in state this summer. That usually benefits big amusement and water parks, boosting attendance numbers with more regional visitors looking for shorter, one-tank getaways.

Here's a sample of popular regional and statewide vacation destinations
Six Flags Over Texas and Hurricane Harbor
Where: Arlington
Why: Six Flags features state's tallest and fastest roller coaster and Texas Giant, one of the world's top wooden coasters, as well as 17 new shows, park entertainment and new rides and attractions for adults and children. Hurricane Harbor features water slides and surf riding.

Gramm to meet with Lubbockites
U.S. Sen. Phil Gramm, R-Texas, will meet with Lubbock Chamber of Commerce members at 8 a.m. Saturday at Sugarbakers Cafe and Bakery, 4601 S. Loop 289, in Salem Village.

Construction runs afowl
Burrowing owls, which are protected by state and federal law, are being threatened by development in southern Lubbock County.

Correction - May 31, 2001
The Lubbock County Democratic Party headquarters address was incorrect in Wednesday's Avalanche-Journal.

Storm leaves tales of destruction
Hundreds of area residents emerged Thursday to find battered homes and scarred neighborhoods from one of the strongest storms in recent memory.
The storm carried winds topping hurricane speeds that sent at least one person to the hospital. A 22-year-old man was in satisfactory condition at University Medical Center after his house collapsed on him.

Morning collision
A 69-year-old man was taken to Covenant Medical Center about 9:30 a.m. Wednesday after a two-car wreck at Fourth Street and Indiana Avenue, according to police. A gray Lincoln was westbound on Fourth Street when it collided with a green Ford Taurus traveling east on Fourth, according to police. The driver of the Lincoln, police said, attempted to turn south onto Indiana Avenue when the collision occurred. The driver of the Lincoln was taken to Covenant.

News briefs
Oscar Gonzales, 20, was transferred to a San Antonio-area military medical facility from Covenant Medical Center. He was injured May 25 in a collision between a Chevrolet Suburban and a U.S. Postal Service truck at U.S. 87 and 98th Street.

Hail, winds, rain batter area
A late evening storm packing winds up to 84 mph pushed through the region Wednesday and pounded several communities with large hail.
Authorities in Hockley, Lamb and Lubbock counties reported downed power lines, uprooted trees and other damage related to the storm front. No injuries were reported.

House calls
Q: My grandmother has been very forgetful lately. What are the signs of Alzheimer's?

Larynx recipient speaking normally
BOSTON {AP} The recipient of the first successful larynx transplant three years ago now speaks with a perfectly normal voice, and his surgeon says he is ready to perform the operation again.

Youngster fights nightmare of leukemia
Kelle Fralick first noticed the telltale bruising on her 3-year-old son's arms and legs.
"People were telling me not to worry, that little boys always get bruises," Fralick recalled. "But I was thinking there were too many for that."

Free symposium on diabetes set
Covenant Health System will hold a free symposium geared toward better understanding of diabetes and its effects on the body Saturday.
The Diabetes Multicultural Symposium will bring together leading physicians and other health-care professionals, as well as community members, for an in-depth look at the seventh leading cause of death in the United States.

Stewart not taking anything for granted at Dover
DOVER, Del. {AP} Tony Stewart believes his history of success at Dover Downs International Speedway is nothing more than another line on an impressive resume.
So, when it came time to decide where to use one of his precious tests for this year, Stewart didn't hesitate to choose The Monster Mile, where he won twice last year after finishes of fourth and second as a rookie.

Rush is on for tax refunds
WASHINGTON (AP) Let the mailbox vigil begin. Millions of tax-cut checks should be arriving by the end of summer, if not sooner.

Food guidelines call for simpler labeling
WASHINGTON {AP} Food labels will use more easily understood terms for ingredients that can cause allergic reactions, such as "milk" for "casein" and "eggs" for "albumen," under new industry guidelines intended to help consumers avoid products that can make them sick.

Bush daughters in hot water over alleged alcohol incident
AUSTIN {AP} President Bush's 19-year-old twin daughters allegedly tried to buy alcohol at a restaurant, with one using some one else's iden ti fication card, police said Wednes day.
Jenna Bush, pleaded no contest less than a month ago to a charge of being a minor in possession of alcohol in an unrelated incident.

McVeigh seeks delay of slated execution date
DENVER {AP} Timothy McVeigh asked a judge Thursday to delay his execution, accusing the government of withholding evidence in a "fraud upon the court" that denied him a fair trial in the Oklahoma City bombing.
U.S. District Judge Richard Matsch scheduled a hearing for Wednesday, five days before McVeigh's scheduled June 11 execution. The judge ordered prosecutors to respond by Monday evening.

Norman Jones
Services for Norman M. Jones, 85, of Lubbock will be at 10 a.m. Saturday at Southcrest Baptist Church with the Rev. Jerry Wilson officiating.

Floyd Banister
PLAINVIEW  Services for Floyd Banister, 78, of Plainview will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at the First Assembly of God with the Rev. Neil Unwin officiating and the Rev. Dean McNamara assisting.

Ruby Jerden
Services for Ruby E. Jerden, 91, of Lubbock, will be at 11:30 a.m. Saturday in Resthaven's Abbey Chapel with the Rev. John Ballard officiating.

Jesusita Diaz
CROSBYTON  Services for Jesusita Garcia Diaz, 84, of Crosbyton will be at 1 p.m. today at First Baptist Church with the Rev. John Silva officiating.

Marie Cook
Services for Marie Cook, 82, of Lubbock will be at 10 a.m. Saturday at Skyline Baptist Church with the Revs. Kerry Hurst and Stephen Howard officiating.

Emma Brown
Services for Emma Brown, 91, of Lubbock will be at 2 p.m. Saturday at Resthaven's Abbey Chapel with the Rev. Richard White officiating.

Gary Pemberton
DENVER CITY  Services for Gary Don Pemberton, 40, of Carlsbad, N.M., formerly of Denver City, will be at 1:30 p.m. Friday at First Baptist Church in Denver City with the Rev. Lavoyd Ford officiating.

Police Blotter - June 1, 2001
Blotter information is compiled from reports filed with the Lubbock Police Department. To report information about these or other crimes, call Crime Line at 741-1000. In some cases, cash rewards are offered.

Early exit for Sampras in France
PARIS {AP} Forget the marvelous serve, lethal volley, ferocious forehand and beautiful backhand. At the French Open, Pete Sampras has almost no shot.

Tech's Roberson one of two Astros' signees
HOUSTON {AP} The Houston Astros announced Wednesday they have signed right-handed pitcher Brandon Roberson of Texas Tech and center fielder Fehlandt Lentini of Sonoma State University.

Williams not looking to dismantle ChiSox
CHICAGO {AP} The struggling Chicago White Sox aren't about to be turned into baseball's junk yard, where teams pick over the roster to find the spare parts they need.

Roddick hobbles past Chang in epic
PARIS {AP} Hobbled by cramps near the finish of a five-set French Open marathon, Andy Roddick almost collapsed to the clay. Between points he grimaced, limped, staggered, hopped on one foot, bent over in pain and leaned on a linesman for support.

Serena Williams denies talk of sibling rift
PARIS {AP} Serena Williams doesn't understand the latest controversy that has engulfed the Williams family after she and sister Venus pulled out of their doubles match at the French Open.

Philadelphia edges Bucks 89-88
PHILADELPHIA {AP} After finding out earlier in the day that his sprained ankle was actually broken, Eric Snow decided to take a huge risk and play anyway.

Verplank, Smith share early lead
DUBLIN, Ohio {AP} Tiger Woods plunked two irons into the water and a tee shot into the trees on an erratic front nine that left fans shaking their heads in disbelief. The back nine had his fellow pros doing the same thing for different reasons.

Pair sets early pace at Open
SOUTHERN PINES, N.C. {AP} Annika Sorenstam slipped and hit the ball sideways, drawing gasps from the gallery. The Swede only smiled, knowing that a U.S. Women's Open is not won on Thursday, only lost.

Griffey staying out of GM's controversy
CINCINNATI {AP} Ken Griffey Jr. has no complaint about how the Cincinnati Reds' medical staff has handled his torn hamstring. He also has no idea when he'll play again.

NL ROUNDUP - May 31, 2001
CINCINNATI  Sammy Sosa hit his first homer in two weeks, a two-run shot off the foundation of Cincinnati's new ballpark, as the Chicago Cubs beat the Reds 3-1 Wednesday night for their 10th straight win.

Playing is easy; Watching is torture
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. {AP} Peter Forsberg and Randy McKay are dealing with the tough part of being NHL players  having to watch their teams go on in the Stanley Cup finals without them.

WPHL, CHL agree to form one league
After two years of road trips to El Paso, Albuquerque, Amarillo and Odessa, the Lubbock Cotton Kings will still make those treks.
Now, they'll possibly add some air travel to Fayetteville, N.C., Macon, Ga., and Huntsville, Ala.

Bourque puts Avalanche in control
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. {AP} It was the biggest goal of Ray Bourque's career except for one: the goal of winning the Stanley Cup. Now, it's so close he can almost touch it  almost.

Lawsuit filed against gas company
ALBUQUERQUE {AP} Two ranchers, one in New Mexico and another in West Texas, have filed a lawsuit against El Paso Natural Gas Co., contending gas pipelines on their land are unsafe.

Wolfforth residents roll with punches
Jose and Nina Rosales of Wolfforth weren't angry Thurs day as they stared at the 60-foot tree sprawled across their back yard.
They weren't even mad that their flower beds were bare.

Massive DNA dragnet for girl's killer raises fears of coercion
OKLAHOMA CITY {AP} Police know who murdered Juli Busken. Not by name, but by the genetic code he left behind in the victim's car five years ago.
In their search for John Doe, police took blood from 200 men and compared their DNA to that of the man who left behind semen in Busken's car. There were no matches.

Panasonic's new plasma TV like a work of art
A picture is worth 1,000 words, unless it's shown on a plasma TV screen.
In the case of Panasonic's Digital Compatible Plasma Display Panel, viewing that picture is going to cost $10,999.

Dallas prosecutors seek death penalty
DALLAS {AP} Prosecutors said Wednesday they will seek the death penalty for a man accused of fatally shooting his 6- and 9-year-old daughters while on the phone with his ex-wife.

Former San Antonio officer gets jail time
SAN ANTONIO {AP} A judge has sentenced a former San Antonio police officer to a 90-day jail term and probation in connection with the disappearance of more than $6,000 in Crimestoppers reward money.

Man convicted of 1991 'yogurt shop murders'
AUSTIN {AP} Robert Springsteen was living a quiet life in West Virginia in 1999 when police came calling  again
Living with a wife nearly twice his age, the high-school dropout had bounced from job to job as investigators continued pursuing one of Texas' most sensational unsolved crimes  the slaying of four teen-age girls at an Austin yogurt shop on Dec. 6, 1991.

Robot arm problems extend space station crew's stay
SPACE CENTER, Houston {AP} The three-member crew of the international space station will have to stay in orbit for an extra month because of glitches in backup operating systems for a robot arm that was installed last month.

Tech-UTEP game likely for TV date change
The Texas Tech and Texas-El Paso football teams have all but formally agreed to change the date of their game this fall from Saturday, Sept. 15, to Thursday, Sept. 13, for national television broadcast purposes, sources close to the situation told The Avalanche-Journal.

Ebay watch: Corporate sellers put the online auctioneer on even faster track
WEST COLUMBIA, S.C.  Six years ago, eBay Inc. opened up attics, garages and other sources of household jumble to the highest Internet bidder. But the virtual-auction rooms of eBay are increasingly filled with merchandise from places such as the cavernous warehouse off Route 378 in this sun-beaten Southern town.

Global economy drew Mexican men on ill-fated trip north
EL EQUIMITE, Mexico {AP} Even as they were buried on Friday, it remained unclear whether it was simply an unforgiving desert that killed the 11 immigrants from these tranquil mountain villages  or the sweeping changes of a world economy.

Study: Urban lightning more frequent
HOUSTON {AP} The city's urban density, sprawling industrial complex and air pollution may contribute to the unusually high occurrence of lightning, according to a recent study.

NASA readies for flight of world's fastest plane
EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. {AP} NASA will send a surfboard-shaped jet zipping over the Pacific Ocean this weekend on what is planned to be record-breaking hypersonic flight at seven times the speed of sound.

Storage facility burns in Smith County
TYLER, Texas {AP} Leaking oil ignited a fire that destroyed one storage tank and an oil-heating truck and damaged eight other tanks Thursday on the outskirts of Tyler. The driver of the truck suffered minor burns.

Bush requests year's extension of China trade status
WASHINGTON {AP} President Bush asked Congress to extend for a year China's normal trade relations with the United States because they are beneficial to the American economy and imperative to promoting an "economically open, politically stable and secure China."

Gonzalez sees a louder Hispanic voice emerging
J.R. Gonzalez, chairman of the Texas Association of Mexican American Chambers of Commerce, said a new border state alliance will eventually give Hispanics a louder voice on national policy matters.

Laid-off Guinness workers get liquid compensation
DUBLIN, Ireland {AP} Workers laid off when a Guinness packaging plant closes next month will be able to drown their sorrows in beer, thanks to a severance package that includes up to 10 years' free supply of the famous stout.

Tech extends McMackin's contract
Texas Tech defensive coordinator Greg McMackin has been granted a one-year contract extension through 2003 with a rollover clause designed to extend his contract one year every year on April 30, according to terms of the contract revision obtained by The Avalanche-Journal.

Baseball-sized hail causes injuries
Shan Rogers went to work Thursday with a brace and heavy bandage protecting her freshly stitched thumb, the combined effect of a huge hailstone and a home sewing kit.

Hail destroys large cotton acreage
Many South Plains farmers are assessing damages and weighing options following a Wednesday night storm that destroyed several thousand acres of cotton, mostly west and south of Lubbock.

Lorenzo man killed in crash
A 1987 Dodge pickup slammed into the side of a tractor-trailer rig late Thursday, killing a man and injuring two women.

How they fare - May 31, 2001
Restaurant reports for the week ending May 25. Due to a change in the grading system, no point values are tabulated.

Crews fight wildfires in California, Florida, Nevada
SUSANVILLE, Calif. {AP} A 4,350 acre wildfire scorched the city limits and reached within a quarter-mile of an RV park, threatening dozens of evacuated homeowners whose fortunes now lie in the hands of firefighters.

Peru candidates make radio bids for support
LIMA, Peru {AP} Two days ahead of a presidential election, economist Alejandro Toledo depicted himself Friday as the sole alternative to past corruption and mismanagement as he fought off a surge in the polls from a populist ex-president.

Microsoft releases Office XP
SEATTLE {AP} Microsoft Corp. launched the latest version of Office, called XP, on Thursday, holding more than 100 lavish events throughout the country in an attempt to entice people to invest in upgraded rendition of the company's flagship business software system.

Report shows Combest's district rich in farm subsidies
WASHINGTON {AP} Most of the approximately $6 billion in taxes collected over the past 31 years in Texas' 19th congressional district have subsidized a handful of large corporate farms, not smaller family operations, a report by advocates for farm subsidy reform shows.

USDA offering indemnification
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has put a policy in place to pay U.S. livestock producers for animals that must be slaughtered to control an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease.

End near in search for national spelling bee champion
WASHINGTON {AP} "Illth," "gimbal," "sylph" and other irksome words thinned the competition at the 2001 Scripps Howard National Spelling Bee, sending many of the nation's best spellers back to the books with hopes of another chance next year.

Unemployment dips slightly to 4.4 percent in May
WASHINGTON {AP} The nation's unemployment rate dipped slightly to 4.4 percent in May, the first improvement in eight months, even as manufacturing industries continued to lay off thousands of workers.

Ahern advances to final rounds of spelling bee
Editor's note: A more recent version of this story can be found in the updated section.
Lubbock speller Mary Esther Ahern correctly spelled "rhabdoid" Thursday morning, advancing to the fifth round of the 74th annual Scripps Howard National Spelling Bee in Washington, D.C.

Ahern advances to final rounds of spelling bee
Editor's note: A more recent version of this story can be found in the updated section.
Lubbock speller Mary Esther Ahern correctly spelled "rhabdoid" Thursday morning, advancing to the fifth round of the 74th annual Scripps Howard National Spelling Bee in Washington, D.C.

Hostages reportedly seen in grenade-laden boat
MANILA, Philippines {AP} The military blockaded a 60-mile-long stretch of ocean Thursday after Muslim militants were reportedly sighted holding hostages in a boat booby-trapped with grenades. A general said that once the kidnappers were found, "the shooting will start."

Germany moves forward with Holocaust survivor compensation
BERLIN {AP} Extending a historic gesture to a long-ignored group of Holocaust survivors, German lawmakers on Wednesday removed the final obstacle to payments compensating men and women forced into labor by the Nazis during World War II.

Report says hostages hit in fire fight
ZAMBOANGA, Philippines {AP} Muslim extremists holding 20 hostages  including three Americans  clashed with the military in the southern Philippines early Friday, military officials and guerrillas said.
Rebel leader Abu Sabaya phoned a local radio station to say his group was under attack. He repeated a threat to kill the hostages. Near and distant gunfire rang out as he spoke breathlessly to RMN radio station.

Bush administration still hopes to nab bin Laden
WASHINGTON {AP} The Bush administration hasn't given up on capturing Osama bin Laden, the exiled Saudi accused of masterminding terrorism, now isolated in Afghanistan with a $5 million bounty on his head.
While hailing the convictions of four followers of bin Laden in New York, U.S. officials and private analysts acknowledge that a long and difficult road lies ahead before victory can be proclaimed over bin Laden.